By Linus Joseph Dewald Jr., Editor
Summer 2000 and Revised 14 Apr 2014
1. John T. Prentiss We start with uncertainty about his name and age. In the 1850 Brooklyn, NY census, he appears as a single person, John Prentice, age 24 and b. c. 1826 in CT. From the 1880 census we know that his mother and father were also born in CT.
He is probably the same person who appears in the 1870 Brooklyn, NY census as John T. Prentiss (note the different surname spelling) which says he was a Sea Captain, age 40, and b. c. 1830 in CT. However, the 1880 Brooklyn census calls him John D. Prentiss and apparently gives his age as 60, indicating a birth yoar of c. 1820 in CT. His 1880 occupation is given as " Captain W. S.S. Fern."
John is likely the same person as John T. Prentis, age 75 and b. Aug 1824, CT shown by the 1900 NY, Richmond Co., NY census as living at Sailor's Snug Harbor apart from his family.
He married Catharine R. Cornell, b. c. 1834-1836 in NY. Living in their household in the 1880 census is her mother, Catherine (b. c. 1810, NY), and brothers, Alexander (b. c. 1836, NY) and John F. D. Cornell (b. c. 1830, NY). An Ancestor Chart for Catharine can be found at Ancestry.com . Children of John and Catharine:
- John R. Prentiss, b. Jun 1867, NY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [2]
- Charles C. Prentiss, b. Dec 1870, NY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[3]
- Catherine R. Prentiss, b. Sep 1873, NY. Living with her brother, John in 1900.
2. John R. Prentiss, b. Jun 1867, Brooklyn, NY, and d. 1935, at his home at 27 Stillwold Rd., Wethersfield, CT. He appears in the 1900 NYC, Kings Co., NY census with his sister, Catherine, uncle Alexander Cornell, and Adelade Charturs, b. Jun 1863, a cousin. John later appears in the 1920 Hartford, Hartford Co., CT census with his wife. H is obit. reads as follows:
- John R. Prentiss 67, of 27 Stillwold Rd., Wethersfield, died Friday at his h ome. Born in
Brooklyn, NY, he had lived for 35 years in Hartford. He leaves 3 daughters: (1) Mrs. Rocco Yacavone
of Hartford, (2) Mrs. Joseph Yacvone of East Hartford, and (3) Mrs. Charles Wood of Wethersfield;
a son, Ansel Prentiss of Hartfored, a brother, Dr. Charles G. Prentiss of Hartford, and a sister,
Mrs. Sidney Carpenter of Wethersfield.
The Funeral will be held Monday, 8:30 a. m. at the funeral home of Farley & Malloy, 129 Capitol Ave., and at 9 o'clock at St. Michael's Church.
- Amy B. (Cassidy) Prentiss, stepdaughter, b. c. 1896, CT. She m. Mr Wood.
- Ansel G. (Cassidy) Prentiss, stepson, b. 4 Sep 1899, CT. . . . . . . [4]
- Lorna D. Prentiss, b. 29 Jun 1908, Hartford, CT, and d 12 Aug 2000, Fox Hill Nursing Center,
Rockville, CT.
` She m. 1st Rocco Yacavone. She m. 2nd Joseph Zito. Her obituary reads as follows:
- ZITO, Lorna P. (Yacavone) ZITO, Lorna P. (Yacavone)
Lorna P. (Yacavone) Zito, 92, of East Hartford, died, Saturday, (August 12, 2000) at Fox Hill Nursing Center, Rockville.
She was born June 29, 1908 in Hartford and was the daughter of the late John R. and Evalina (Oakley) Prentiss. Lorna was retired from the former M. Swift and Sons Co. and lived in the greater Hartford area all her life. She was predeceased by her first husband Rocco Yacavone, and in 1983 by her second husband Joseph Zito. She was also predeceased by a son, Peter F. Yacavone.
She is survived by a daughter, Janice M. Yacavone of Rocky Hill; her daughter-in-law, Theresa F. Yacavone of Stanford; five grandchildren, Peter Yacavone and his wife Leslie of California, Patricia Driscoll and her husband Richard of Texas, Maura Robie and her husband Gary of Colorado, Nancy Valenzano, and her husband Jeff and John Yacavone and his wife Pat all of Stanford; and ten great grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Catherine Bissonnette of Florida and two nieces and a nephews, Joan Rohde, Donna Fitzgerald and John Yacavone.
Funeral service will be Monday at 10:30 a.m. from the D'Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:15 a.m. at St. Christopher's Church, East Hartford. Burial will follow in Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield. Calling hour will be Monday morning from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 185 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield 06109.
Children of Lorna D. Prentiss and their husbands:
- Janice M. Yacavone of Rocky Hill;
- Peter F. Yacavone. Deceased by 12 Aug 2000. He m. Theresa F. and they lived in
Stanford. Children:
- Peter Yacavone and his wife Leslie of California,
- Patricia Yacavone. She m. Richard Driscoll and lived in TX.
- Maura Yacavone. She m. Gary Robie and lived in CO.
- Nancy Yacazane. She m. Jeff Valenzano and lived in Stanford.
- John Yacavone. He m. Pat and lived in Stanford.
- Catherine E. Prentiss, b. c. 1911, CT , and d. 26 Sep 2000 in Leesburg, Fl. She m. 1st Joseph
Yacavone. She m. 2nd Gerard Bissonnette. Her obituary reads as follows;
- Catherine (Yacavone) Bissonnette, 90, of Leesburg, FL, formerly of East
Hartford, died on Tuesday (September 26, 2000). She leaves her husband Gerard.
She was predeceased by her first husband, Joseph Yacavone; and sister, Lorna Zito. She also
lleaves her daughters, Joan and William Rohde of Rocky Hill, Donna and James Fitzgerald of
Newington; and son, John and Susan Yacavone of Plainfield, NH; five grandchildren; three great
grandchildren; and a niece. A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, October 7, 9 a.m. at Our
Lady of Peace Church, East Hartford
Children:
- Joan. She m. William Rohde of Rocky Hill.
- Donna. She m. James Fitzgerald of Newington.
- John Yacavone of Plainfield, NH. He m. Susan.
Catherine's obituary also mentions having 5 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren, and a niece.
3. Charles C. Prentiss, b. Dec 1870, NY. He appears in the 1900 and 1920 Hartford, CT census (called "Dr.) with his wife, Harriett R., b. Dec 1870, CT. Children:
- Ruth R. Prentiss, b Jan 1897, CT. She m. Mr. Brown.
- Isabel H. Prentiss, b. c. 1903, CT.
- Barbara C. Prentice, b. c. 1911, CT.
Both Isabel and Barbara are surnamed "Brown" in our copy of the 1920 census, but that seems to be an error since they are also identified as Charles' daughters.
4. Ansel G. (Cassidy) Prentiss, Stepson, b. 4 Sep 1899, CT and d. 16 Nov 1969, Southington, Hartford (per IGI and SSDI). Bur., Southington, Hartford Co., CT. Ansel does not appear in the IGI under either surname. In the 1940 census he is shown as as a government "Laborer, Road Project" with a 6th grade education.
He m. Marion Mabel Reed, b. 25 Sep 1905, Orange, Franklin Co., MA, and d. 18 Jun 1974, Southington, Hartford Co., CT. She had the following children before her marriage to Ansel (per 1940 census):
- George Deschamps, b. c. 1923.
- Mary Deschamps, b. c. 1926.
- Irene Deschamps, b. c. 1928.
Children of Ansel and Marion (per 1940 census):
- Evelyn Prentiss, b. c. 1932, CT. 1940 at home.
- Granville Irving, Prentiss, b. 24 Oct 1932, Hartford, CT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[5]
- Pauline Prentiss, b. 31 May 1936, CT. 1940 at home. She m. Anthony Larocca in 1955, who was b. 1936
and had a college education. Annulment granted to wife in 1981 in Southington, Hartford County
of residence.
- Matt Prentiss.
5. Granville Irving, Prentiss, b. 24 Oct 1932, Hartford, CT, and d. 17 May 1981, Farmington, CT. Bur. Fairview Cem., West Hartford, Hartford Co., CT per Find a Grave . 1940 at home. He lived in Enfield,CT, at 60 Meadow Lark Rd., and was a Correctional Officer in the St. of CT Correction Department. Articles about an attack on Granville while on duty at a prison can be found at Ancestry.com . His ob
He m. Mary Lilley on 2 Apr 1955, Houlton, ME. She was b. 1934 and d. 9 Oct 2016, Enfield, CTm age 82. Her obituary reads as follows:
- Hartford Courant, The (CT) - Wednesday, October 12, 2016: Obituary: Mary L. Prentiss
Mary Lilley Prentiss of Enfield, CT passed away peacefully with her loving family by her side on Sunday, October 9, 2016. She was 82 years old and born and raised in Houlton Maine by her parents Eben Leroy and Blanche (Victory) Lilley.
On April 2, 1955 Mary and Granville Irving Prentiss were married in Houlton. They started a family in Hartford, CT and later moved to Enfield where they raised their five children. In appreciation of the Hospice care received by the family on the passing of her husband Granville at age 48 Mary became a longtime care contributor for the Hospice Organization.
Mary graduated from Houlton High School in 1952 and briefly worked at Pratt and Whitney and later for Mclean Trucking in Enfield. She was a resident at the Little Sisters of the Poor (St. Josephs Residence) in Enfield where she led a happy and active life for several years. Mary enjoyed playing cards, cribbage with her friends and family. She will be remembered for her kind and gracious nature, her strong will and sense of humor. Mary enjoyed many adventures spending summers at the cabin on Drew's Lake and winters in Florida while traveling with her special friends Claire and Robert Daigle of Enfield Ct. Her many friends include the BOPS Club and the members of the Loyal Order of the Moose .
She leaves her twins, Kim and husband Douglas Hazlett of New Limerick, Maine, Scott Prentiss and his wife Nancy of Enfield, daughter Cindy and husband Patrick Locklear of Southwick, Mass, son Granville (Randy) Prentiss and his wife Tammy of Enfield, and son Matthew and his significant other Davalynn of Maui, Hawaii; eleven grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren and many nephews and nieces who remember her fondly as Aunt Mary the Great.
She also leaves behind her brother Nathan Lilley and his wife Betsy of Fairport, NY, sister Sharon Raymond and husband Michael of Houlton, Maine, sister-in-law, Nena Lilley and significant other Roger Noel. Besides her parents she is predeceased by her brother Almon Lilley and sister Greta Hanaway and brother-in-law and Sister-in- Law Cornelius and Irene Cunningham.
Her extended family from The County. Relatives and friends may join the family for a visiting hour on Friday, October 14th from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at St. Joseph's Residence Chapel, 1365 Enfield St., Enfield. CT. A funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m. Mary would like to thank her many friends and staff at St. Joseph Residence for the wonderful care received. A private burial will be held at the Enfield Street Cemetery at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate contributions made to St. Joseph Residence, 1365 Enfield Street, Enfield, CT 06082.To share a memory or offer condolences, please visit www.leetestevens.com.
They had 5 children, including:
- Kim Prentiss, twin. She m. Douglas Hazlett. 2016 in New Limerick, ME,
- Scott Prentiss, twin. He m. Nancy. 2016 in Enfield, CT.
- Cindy Prentiss. She m. Patrick Locklear. 2016 in Southwick, MA,
- Granville Prentiss, "Randy." He m. Tammy. 2016 in Enfield, CT.
- Matthew Pretiss. Companion is Davalynn. 2016 in Maui, Hawaii.
Who are John T. Prentiss' Parents? With 2 different surname spellings (Prentice and Prentiss), so many different potential birth years to work from (1920, 1926, 1930) and different initials (D., T.) it is difficult to trace his roots
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